Abstract
Integrative oncology is a burgeoning field and typically provided by a multiprofessional team. To ensure cancer patients receive effective, appropriate, and safe care, health professionals providing integrative cancer care should have a certain set of competencies. The aim of this project was to define core competencies for different health professions involved in integrative oncology. The project consisted of two phases. A systematic literature review on published competencies was performed, and the results informed an international and interprofessional consensus procedure. The second phase consisted of three rounds of consensus procedure and included 28 experts representing 7 different professions (medical doctors, psychologists, nurses, naturopathic doctors, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, yoga practitioners, patient navigators) as well as patient advocates, public health experts, and members of the Society for Integrative Oncology. A total of 40 integrative medicine competencies were identified in the literature review. These were further complemented by 18 core oncology competencies. The final round of the consensus procedure yielded 37 core competencies in the following categories: knowledge (n = 11), skills (n = 17), and abilities (n = 9). There was an agreement that these competencies are relevant for all participating professions. The integrative oncology core competencies combine both fundamental oncology knowledge and integrative medicine competencies that are necessary to provide effective and safe integrative oncology care for cancer patients. They can be used as a starting point for developing profession-specific learning objectives and to establish integrative oncology education and training programs to meet the needs of cancer patients and health professionals.
Highlights
The use of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) by cancer patients [1] and cancer survivors [2] is widespread with meta-analytic evidence showing that more than 40% of cancer patients use CIM [3]
In Phase II, building on the results of the systematic review, an international and interprofessional consensus procedure was conducted to develop a set of core competencies for healthcare professions who deliver integrative oncology care
Based on an iterative process including a comprehensive literature review by an expert task force and multi-disciplinary oncology providers and by a survey of members of SIO, a final set of 37 core competencies for integrative oncology was identified. These 37 competencies were further categorized into knowledge, skills, and abilities and agreed on by representatives from seven different professions from Asia, Europe, and North America
Summary
The use of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) by cancer patients [1] and cancer survivors [2] is widespread with meta-analytic evidence showing that more than 40% of cancer patients use CIM [3]. Integrative oncology aims to optimize health, quality of life, and clinical outcomes across the cancer care continuum and to empower people to prevent cancer and become active participants before, during, and beyond cancer treatment” [6]. Research, and knowledge transfer initiatives, such as an annual international conference and the development of clinical practice guidelines, SIO’s vision is to have research inform the integration of complementary modalities into oncology care so that evidence-based integrative oncology care is accessible and standard for all patients across the cancer continuum. SIO provides much needed, evidence-informed leadership and collaborative opportunities to the interdisciplinary integrative oncology research and clinical practice communities around the world
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